Epiphone AJ-100EB

I don't know the year of manufacture. Likely 2005 as I bought it 6/3/2005. Sticker on back says made in China. The body and neck are all finished in flawless (really) gloss black. Looking inside I see the back is mahogany. I know the top is laminated so I figure the sides and back probavly are too. for $115 out the door what do you expect, right? Tuners are cheesy but perfectly operational nondesript closed cheapies. Came with reg card and wrench for neck adjustments. The neck is straight but the thin (narrow), medium tall frets are unfinished at the nub ends; I hate that on any guitar regardless of price. However, the intonation is dead on, so I can forgive that. There is some cheesy overspray along the area where the white neck binding borders the rosewood? fretboard. Makes me suspect what the fretboard is really made from. Nonetheless, based on price the guitar as a whole looks very good; certainly good enough for me to remark, half-mockingly that it looked better than any other black acoustic guitar in the budget acoustic section at Guitar Center Hollywood. I bought it, didn't I?

The sound was suprisingly good. For a laminate top it was excellent while picking indivudal notes and strumming light to medium. When you lean into it strumming it loses focus and detail in a way that a quality solid top usually doesn't. Nice, bright, top and mids and fairly clear and focused bottom, another suprise. Played well from low to high, and sounded to my ear, more clear and focused than many solid top Gibson and Epiphone acoustics including many built at the Montana shop. It held it's own quite well when played alongside a new limited edition Epiphone (Gibson made) limited edition, Paul McCartney Texan (1 of 250) that my brother purchased at the same time costing about $7,000. That point convinced me to buy it even though I did not need another acoustic. Again su[rsisingly good aound overall for a laminate top.

I am pretty picky when it comes to set up and action on all my guitars. I usually spend good money (more than most people are wanting or willing to spend) to do whatever is necessary to have my guitars playing quick and accurate. Off the rack, this Epi could use a finish on the fret ends to make smooth transition up and down the neck and a slight turn of the neck tension rod and perhaps filing down the saddle to lower action to my particular (subjective) taste, but I think most people would says its perfectly good to go as is. And I'm inclined to agree. The nut and bridge are very pleasing to look at finished nicely (I love the reverse bridge, always have) and the set up is exceptional in that no adjustments were needed to enable the guitar to play nicely. I put on a set of light guage (10-47) Martin strings, which can expose subtle tone problems easily and the guitar sounded excellent with no volume problems that some acoustics can have when paired with real light guage strings. As I said before the gloss black paint was striking and flawless. The binding along the top and bottom of the guitar body was fitted expertly and also flawless. The color, appearence and Epiphone logo on the headstock was matched perfectly with the body and neck, pleasing to look at. Each of the string posts had a little black grommet where the post was seated on the headstock faceplate that really looked sharp and is a detail worth commending in a guitar in this low budget, student, beginner price range. I laughed at how well this inexpensive guitar was detailed in its finish. Aside from the overspray along the neck at its lower bout where the fretboard meets the cream neck binding the finish was perfect, really.

Judging by feel and looks this guitar should last fairly well. Time will tell. Funny things can happy to cheap guiytars over time despite initial appearance. Neck bows, delaminations, top warping, etc. The strap buttons look sturdy and usable without reinforcement. I would gig with this guitar in a second just to prove it can play like a big dog. I think I would back up with my D-28 just in case something unexpected happened.

N/A. Even though I have dealt with Gibson in the past, (Les Paul stuff) they aren't nearly as customer focused as Martin, Taylor or Fender. In fairness though, I rarely deal with or ecpect to deal with guitar makers when I have problems. I've been lucky in that I buy guitars without major issues. And when things do come up, I count on local repair hotshots like Steve Soest or the Guitar Doctor to fix shit. The far better (more highly skilled and experienced) and more accesible (shops are close to home) than any factory shop staff I'm aware of.

Overall this guitar astonishes as a bang-for-the-buck item. So far sup[erior than what was avalable to me in this price range than when I picked up guitar in the mid seventies. Computer-programmed, manufacturing has spawned some really accurate, cheap guitars. What a blessing really. I must commend the builders or factory workers as the case may be in making these instruments. Affordable, inexpensive guitars are better and more plentiful than ever. That having been said, I think most guitars found off the rack in stores, (better than 95%) regardless of quality in build, sound to me like fucking firewood. Thus it's all the more exciting when a cheap, bottom-o-the line Epi comes off the end of the production line looking and sounding as good as this one. Overall, this guitar is good enough to warrant all the word I;ve spent glowing about it. I've written maybe three reviews in my life, because I usually don't bother.

2004; Made in China; 14/20 frets; "select spruce" (laminate) top; mahogany sides, back and neck; ebony fretboard and bridge; aged white plastic binding on top and bottom of body and around fretboard; same for nut and saddle; chrome no-name tuners; thin black plastic picguard embossed with an epiphone "e"; 25 1/4" scale; body and back of neck painted black; white plastic dot fretmarkers; black plastic side markers.

Basically, this is the Asian Gibson (Epiphone) J-45

I play finger-style blues mainly. This sounds great with metal fingerpicks or with bare ones. Slide sounds very good too, old timey. Sound is crisp and bright. You can achieve different tones by changing yur attack or right hand placement. No, it's not a real J-45, but for $89 it can't be beat!!!

Set up was good. High if you only play electrics, but great for fingerstyle and slide. No flaws to mention, and I looked at it hard. The only thing that was bad from the get-go, were the lame ass strings they had on it. wouldn't stay in tune and the low-e had no tone or volume at all. I put some medium Martin strings on this on the 3rd day I had it. It became a whole new instrument and a joy to play.

Lowish rating due to the crappy strings. Everything else was acceptable.

I think this guitar will last a long, long time. The finish has a thick, high-gloss lacquer on it and seems to be resistant to scratching. Strap buttons (on the base of the neck and bottom of the body) seem secure, but I don't use them. Stays in tune well, and that saying a bit, since I change my tuning all the time, between normal and slide playing.

I have been playing guitar for over 30 years. I got this for another blues box, type guitar and to use mainly for slide. However, it sounds so good, I use it for fingerstyle as well. I wouldn't hesitate getting another if something happened to this one. I have owned 100's of guitars and this is easily one of the best "bang for the buck" ones I've ever had.

The one thing I'm not crazy about is that the black finish shows dirt/smudges easily.

If you're looking for the best sub-$100 acoustic on the planet, look no further, it's the AJ-100 EB. By the way, it comes in natural and tobacco burst too. I went for the all black because I've never had an all black guitar before.

bang for the buck--10!!!